Daily Archives: July 26, 2009

Tiahrt votes against ‘pay-go’; Moran for it

July 26, 20096:04 a.m.

tiahrt24Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard, was the only Kansan in the U.S. House to vote last week against “pay-as-you-go,” or “pay-go” — rules mandating that Congress pay for tax cuts or spending increases. Tiahrt said the measure wouldn’t be effective. “The lack of fiscal restraint and numerous spending loopholes left a pay-go shell that only encourages tax increases,” he said in a statement. Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Hays, wanted even more restrictive rules but supported the legislation as “a modest effort to control government spending and decrease our bloated government programs.” Reps. Lynn Jenkins, R-Topeka, and Dennis Moore, D-Lenexa, also voted for “pay-go.”

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Kansas delegation | Comments (101)

Open thread 7/26

July 26, 20096:03 a.m.

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By The Editors | Filed under Open thread | Comments (228)

K-12 doing ‘pretty darn well’

July 26, 20096:02 a.m.

onealmike2Kansas House Speaker Mike O’Neal, R-Hutchinson, isn’t losing sleep about the state’s recent cuts to public school funding. Between the finance formula and federal stimulus funds, he told the Hutchinson News, “there are some school districts that actually will get more money this year than last year.” Another court challenge by school districts, he said, “would be very poor timing on their part. In terms of agencies that consume taxpayer dollars, they were dealt with in a better and more benign fashion than virtually anyone else. We are in a recession and everyone has to do their share.”
O’Neal also said: “We’re not failing our kids. If you go out and see what our schools are able to do, you’ll see that we’re doing a bang-up job. Does that mean that schools are going to be able to afford all the new bells and whistles or expand their curriculum? No. They’ll have to tighten their belts, but we’re not depriving the kids with these cuts of what is required under law for education. We’re actually doing pretty darn well.”

By Rhonda Holman | Filed under Education, Kansas government | Comments (29)

So they said

July 26, 20096:01 a.m.

schlappsue“This is going to sound real corny, but God bless America.” — Wichita City Council member Sue Schlapp (in photo), as the council prepared to approve the site for a Vietnamese community memorial

“This bill is a wet dog that is not welcome in any farm or ranch house.” — Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., arguing that rural Kansas will be hurt if the House-passed energy bill prevails

“It’s not the magical yellow brick road to the governor’s office.” — Lt. Gov. Troy Findley, on the likelihood of his job leading to Cedar Crest

“What are you going to say? ‘I’m more against Obama than you are’?” — Republican strategist Rich Galen, on the GOP Senate primary between Reps. Jerry Moran and Todd Tiahrt

“You’re I think the first Cabinet member I’ve met from the Obama administration that seems alive.” — “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart to Energy Secretary Steven Chu, a week after Stewart interviewed HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius

By The Editors | Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (4)

Late-night laughs

July 26, 20096:00 a.m.

“General Motors just announced they’ve created — I’m not kidding — a new line of Cadillac cologne. The Cadillac cologne slogan is, ‘Smell like you owe the federal government $10 billion.’” — Conan O’Brien

“Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced that the U.S. will send an additional 22,000 troops to Iraq to speed up the withdrawal effort. It’s all part of the administration’s new exit strategy, ‘Reverse Psychology.’” — Jimmy Fallon

By The Editors | Filed under Late-night laughs | Comments (3)